Phys.org: Phys.org news tagged with: commercial applicationshttp://phys.org/
en-usPhys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine.Scientists 'bend' elastic waves with new metamaterials that could have commercial applicationsSound waves passing through the air, objects that break a body of water and cause ripples, or shockwaves from earthquakes all are considered "elastic" waves. These waves travel at the surface or through a material without causing any permanent changes to the substance's makeup. Now, engineering researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a material that has the ability to control these waves, creating possible medical, military and commercial applications with the potential to greatly benefit society.http://phys.org/news341169194.html
PhysicsThu, 22 Jan 2015 17:13:33 EDTnews341169194Researchers find salmon semen can be used to extract rare earth elements from waste(Phys.org)—A team of researchers affiliated with several academic/research facilities in Japan has found that dried salmon semen can be used to extract rare earth elements (REEs) from liquid ore waste. In their paper published in the journal PLOS ONE, the team describes how they came up with the idea, the process they used, and the prospects of using their technique in commercial applications.http://phys.org/news340620938.html
ChemistryFri, 16 Jan 2015 09:20:05 EDTnews340620938Wearable tech for the battlefield and people at risk for heart attacksWearable devices can count the steps you take and the calories you burn. But can they help soldiers in the field? Or prevent someone from having a heart attack?http://phys.org/news335118857.html
TechnologyThu, 13 Nov 2014 16:34:27 EDTnews335118857Startup scales up graphene production, develops biosensors and supercapacitorsAn official of a materials technology and manufacturing startup based on a Purdue University innovation says his company is addressing the challenge of scaling graphene production for commercial applications.http://phys.org/news330331395.html
NanotechnologyFri, 19 Sep 2014 08:30:02 EDTnews330331395LEDs made from 'wonder material' perovskite(Phys.org) —Colourful LEDs made from a material known as perovskite could lead to LED displays which are both cheaper and easier to manufacture in future.http://phys.org/news326448154.html
NanotechnologyTue, 05 Aug 2014 09:02:49 EDTnews326448154Making money from lignin: Roadmap shows how to improve lignocellulosic biofuel biorefiningWhen making cellulosic ethanol from plants, one problem is what to do with a woody agricultural waste product called lignin. The old adage in the pulp industry has been that one can make anything from lignin except money.http://phys.org/news319381261.html
BiologyThu, 15 May 2014 14:01:26 EDTnews319381261Genetic engineering increases yield of biodegradable plastic from cyanobacteriaThe production of plastics using biological systems such as bacteria could lead to the sustainable manufacture of biodegradable and biocompatible plastics using carbon from the atmosphere. So far, however, it has proved exceedingly difficult to increase the yields of bioplastics to industrially viable levels. Takashi Osanai, Masami Yokota Hirai and colleagues from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science have now engineered a cyanobacterium strain that produces triple the normal yield of the bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB).http://phys.org/news315216863.html
BiologyFri, 28 Mar 2014 09:50:03 EDTnews315216863Device that can manipulate radiofrequency signals could soon reduce size of short-distance communication systemsMillimeter waves are a type of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between 0.1 and 10 millimeters long. Because they are susceptible to absorption by water in the atmosphere, they travel short distances only. Despite this limitation, their short wavelength makes them a useful technology for small-distance applications. Examples include short-range, secure wireless communication and automotive-radar technology, which lets self-driving cars sense their environment.http://phys.org/news299309940.html
PhysicsWed, 25 Sep 2013 07:30:02 EDTnews299309940Mobile PCB cleanup system developedUniversity of Calgary scientists have developed new technology that promises a safer, cheaper way to clean up hazardous PCBs in soil using ultraviolet light – the first technology of its kind in the world.http://phys.org/news298122460.html
EarthWed, 11 Sep 2013 12:47:59 EDTnews298122460Brown algae reveal antioxidant production secretsBrown algae contain phlorotannins, aromatic (phenolic) compounds that are unique in the plant kingdom. As natural antioxidants, phlorotannins are of great interest for the treament and prevention of cancer and inflammatory, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers at the Végétaux marins et biomolécules (CNRS/UPMC) laboratory at the Station biologique de Roscoff, in collaboration with two colleagues at the Laboratoire des sciences de l'Environnement MARin (Laboratory of Marine Environment Sciences) in Brest (CNRS/UBO/IFREMER/IRD) have recently elucidated the key step in the production of these compounds in Ectocarpus siliculosus, a small brown alga model species. The study also revealed the specific mechanism of an enzyme that synthesizes phenolic compounds with commercial applications. These findings have been patented and should make it easier to produce the phlorotannins presently used as natural extracts in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The results have also been published online on the site of the journal The Plant Cell.http://phys.org/news297582300.html
BiologyThu, 05 Sep 2013 06:45:23 EDTnews297582300Size matters as nanocrystals go through phases(Phys.org) —Understanding what happens to a material as it undergoes phase transformations – changes from a solid to a liquid to a gas or a plasma – is of fundamental scientific interest and critical for optimizing commercial applications. For metal nanocrystals, assumptions about the size-dependence of phase transformations were made that now need to be re-evaluated. A team of researchers at the DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has demonstrated that as metal nanocrystals go through phase transformations, size can make a much bigger difference than previously believed.http://phys.org/news296743887.html
NanotechnologyMon, 26 Aug 2013 13:51:48 EDTnews296743887Jagged graphene edges can slice into cell membranes(Phys.org) —A collaboration of biologists, engineers, and material scientists at Brown University has found that jagged edges of graphene can easily pierce cell membranes, allowing graphene to enter the cell and disrupt normal function. Understanding the mechanical forces of nanotoxicity should help engineers design safer materials at the nanoscale.http://phys.org/news292680777.html
NanotechnologyWed, 10 Jul 2013 13:14:27 EDTnews292680777Research duo develop new green way to synthesize vanillin from sawdust(Phys.org) —Chemical researchers D K Abdullah and Ahmad Shamsuri of University Putra Malaysia have found a way to synthesize vanillin from sawdust in an environmentally friendly way. In their paper they've uploaded to the preprint server arXiv, the two describe how they used an ionic liquid to dissolve lignin found in rubber tree sawdust to produce vanillin.http://phys.org/news290852606.html
ChemistryWed, 19 Jun 2013 10:00:01 EDTnews290852606Use of drones raises questionsDrones – UAVs or unmanned aerial vehicles – are not exactly ubiquitous yet. But that future may not be far away.http://phys.org/news290413725.html
TechnologyFri, 14 Jun 2013 07:28:52 EDTnews290413725'Temporal cloaking' could bring more secure optical communications(Phys.org) —Researchers have demonstrated a method for "temporal cloaking" of optical communications, representing a potential tool to thwart would-be eavesdroppers and improve security for telecommunications.http://phys.org/news289665984.html
PhysicsWed, 05 Jun 2013 15:46:49 EDTnews289665984New mechanism converts natural gas to energy faster, captures CO2(Phys.org) —North Carolina State University researchers have identified a new mechanism to convert natural gas into energy up to 70 times faster, while effectively capturing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2).http://phys.org/news287142696.html
ChemistryTue, 07 May 2013 10:51:47 EDTnews287142696Furnace accelerator startup develops anti-fogging technologyEarly-stage nanotech company SiO2 Nanotech has begun beta testing commercial applications of its anti-fogging technology for corporate partners. The new technology, which was developed from patented research conducted in the lab of Nicole Herbots, professor emerita in the ASU Department of Physics, can be used on a variety of different surfaces, including glass and plastics.http://phys.org/news287134439.html
NanotechnologyTue, 07 May 2013 08:34:17 EDTnews287134439Cause of LED efficiency droop finally revealed: Auger recombination responsible(Phys.org)—Researchers at University of California, Santa Barbara, in collaboration with colleagues at the École Polytechnique in France, have conclusively identified Auger recombination as the mechanism that causes light emitting diodes (LEDs) to be less efficient at high drive currents.http://phys.org/news285931625.html
PhysicsTue, 23 Apr 2013 10:27:13 EDTnews285931625Nanosilicon rapidly splits water without light, heat, or electricity(Phys.org)—Although scientists know that when silicon mixes with water, hydrogen is produced through oxidation, no one expected how quickly silicon nanoparticles might perform this task. As a new study has revealed, 10-nm silicon nanoparticles can generate hydrogen 150 times faster than 100-nm silicon nanoparticles, and 1,000 times faster than bulk silicon. The discovery could pave the way toward rapid "just add water" hydrogen generation technologies for portable devices without the need for light, heat, or electricity.http://phys.org/news278228854.html
NanotechnologyThu, 24 Jan 2013 09:00:01 EDTnews278228854Black silicon can take efficiency of solar cells to new levelsScientists at Aalto University have demonstrated results that show a huge improvement in the light absorption and the surface passivation of silicon nanostructures. This has been achieved by applying atomic layer coating. The results advance the development of devices that require high sensitivity light response such as high efficiency solar cells.http://phys.org/news277714201.html
TechnologyFri, 18 Jan 2013 06:50:22 EDTnews277714201Electron spin transport demonstrated for first time in an organic device(Phys.org)—Researchers in the Semiconductor and Dimensional Metrology Division's Nanoelectronic Device Metrology (NEDM) Project have demonstrated the first documented case of electron spin transport in an organic device.http://phys.org/news274962942.html
PhysicsMon, 17 Dec 2012 10:36:14 EDTnews274962942Inverted polymer solar cell efficiency sets world record(Phys.org)—For many years, researchers have strived to reach the goal of 10% efficiency for polymer-based organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells, a target widely considered to be the threshold for commercial applications. Now in a new study, researchers at the South China University of Technology in Guangzhou have constructed an inverted OPV that has set a new record with a certified efficiency of 9.2%, a significant improvement over the previous record-high efficiency of 8.37%. Expecting the new design to catalyze developments to the 10% target in the near future, the research team is partnering with Houston-based Phillips 66 and Solarmer, a photovoltaic company in El Monte, California, to prepare for commercialization.http://phys.org/news265633242.html
PhysicsFri, 31 Aug 2012 12:01:00 EDTnews265633242Microsoft helps startups create business connecting with KinectIn a conference center room on Microsoft's Redmond campus last week, a slim, bespectacled CEO clad in a white lab coat was waving his arms wildly.http://phys.org/news260726443.html
TechnologyThu, 05 Jul 2012 17:10:01 EDTnews260726443New lithography technique enables production of nanoscale patterns of titania for high-tech applications(Phys.org) -- Titanium dioxide, or titania, is an inorganic material commonly used as a whitening agent in food and toothpaste. It is also used as one of the main active ingredients in sunscreens. The properties that make titania useful in commercial applications &#151; namely its whitening ability and high refractive index &#151; are now being exploited in a wide range of technological applications.http://phys.org/news260617883.html
NanotechnologyWed, 04 Jul 2012 10:52:13 EDTnews260617883Understanding patterns of dew formationResearchers have delved into the dynamics of vapour condensation on surfaces. Project outcomes have potential commercial applications to a variety of fields.http://phys.org/news257587239.html
ChemistryWed, 30 May 2012 09:20:03 EDTnews257587239Dip chip technology tests toxicity on the goFrom man-made toxic chemicals such as industrial by-products to poisons that occur naturally, a water or food supply can be easily contaminated. And for every level of toxic material ingested, there is some level of bodily response, ranging from minor illness to painful certain death.http://phys.org/news256223639.html
ChemistryMon, 14 May 2012 14:14:09 EDTnews256223639Quantum dots brighten the future of lighting(Phys.org) -- With the age of the incandescent light bulb fading rapidly, the holy grail of the lighting industry is to develop a highly efficient form of solid-state lighting that produces high quality white light.http://phys.org/news255716825.html
NanotechnologyTue, 08 May 2012 17:27:23 EDTnews255716825'Smart' microcapsules in a single step(PhysOrg.com) -- A new, single-step method of fabricating microcapsules, which have potential commercial applications in industries including medicine, agriculture and diagnostics, has been developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge. The findings are published last Friday (Feb. 10) in the journal Science.http://phys.org/news248342783.html
NanotechnologyMon, 13 Feb 2012 08:06:37 EDTnews248342783Crowd-sourcing the Future of Accelerators(PhysOrg.com) -- Accelerator technology has made huge leaps forward, prompting important developments well beyond high energy physics in areas as diverse as energy and the environment, medicine, industry, national security and discovery science. But the capacity to translate accelerator breakthroughs into commercial applications has lagged behind.http://phys.org/news245645106.html
PhysicsFri, 13 Jan 2012 03:00:01 EDTnews245645106Carving at the nanoscaleResearchers at the Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology have successfully demonstrated a new method for producing a wide variety of complex hollow nanoparticles. The work, published this week in Science, applies well known processes of corrosion in a novel manner to produce highly complex cage-like nanoscale structures with potential applications in fields from medicine to industrial processing. http://phys.org/news242574665.html
NanotechnologyThu, 08 Dec 2011 14:00:01 EDTnews242574665